Keto Sopa Seca

 

Sopa Seca (dry soup) is one of my family’s favorites meals, however I try to steer clear of pasta so coming up with a Keto version of this dish was high on my priority list.  It is not only delicious and healthy but surprisingly budget friendly and very easy to make

 

Keto Sopa Seca

 

1 Tbs olive oil

1 pound ground beef, turkey or pork (I like ground pork the best)

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp. black pepper

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped

1 12 oz package broccoli slaw

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Sour cream or Mexican Crema

 

In a large skillet over medium heat add oil and brown meat with onions and garlic.  Drain any excess fat.  Add spices, tomatoes and chipotle peppers.  Bring to a bubble and add broccoli slaw.  Continue to cook until slaw is just tender.  Turn off hear, sprinkle with cheese and cover with lid until cheese has melted.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crema.

 

This moderately spicy dish is full of amazing flavor and it will fill you up too. It also freezes well so it is great for meal prepping. If you have never tried Sopa Seca I definitely recommend making this dish.  You won’t be disappointed.

 

Low Carb Keto Pumpkin Pie

 

My favorite pie is pumpkin and one I enjoy year round.  When I embarked on a low carb lifestyle I was determined to figure out a way to make a low carb pie that was not only delicious but good for me too.  I think I did a pretty good job coming up with this recipe.  It starts with a low carb nut flour crust and finishes with sugar free fluffy whipped cream.  Oh yeah baby!

 

Low Carb Pie Crust

 

1 1/4 cups almond flour

1/4 cup melted butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1 packet stevia sweetener

 

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.  Press dough into a 8 or 9 inch pie plate.  Bake at 375° for 8 to10 minutes until crust is lightly browned.

 

Low Carb Pumpkin Pie

 

1 low carb pie crust

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup sweetener

2 Tbs. melted butter

3 eggs

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

 

In a large mixing bowl place pumpkin, whipping cream, sweetener and butter.  Mix well.  Add eggs and spice.  Continue stirring until well combined.  Pour into pie crust and bake at 350° for 40 to 50 minutes until center is set.

 

Sugar Free Whipped Cream

 

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 or 3 packets of stevia sweetener

 

Place cream and stevia into a cold mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks just begin to form.  Do not overbeat.  Keep refrigerated.

 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and a slice of pie.  Maybe even two slices.

 

Healthy & Delicious Pumpkin Bread (Not Low Carb)

 

Once Fall hits I get a hankering for all things pumpkin and spice.  I've managed to figure out ways to make a lot of my favorite things Keto or low carb, but one thing I've not quite mastered is one of my very favorites, Pumpkin Bread.  So instead of trying to make it Keto friendly or low carb I decided to just make a healthier version and enjoy a nice loaf every once in a great while.  All things in moderation.

 

Pumpkin Bread 

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup oil* or melted butter

2./3 cup sugar or sweetener*

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup milk*

1 egg

2 cups flour*

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

 

In a large mixing bowl place pumpkin, oil, sugar, vanilla, milk and egg.  Stir to combine well.  Add flour, salt, spices and baking powder.  Stir just until combined, do not over mix.  Pour batter into a lightly oiled loaf pan.  Bake at 350° 55 to 60 minutes until top springs back at the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Carefully remove from pan and allow to cool on a rack.  Slice and serve.

 

*oil - coconut oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil

*sweetener - stevia, erythritol, monkfruit, or a blend of sweeteners with/without sugar, honey, maple syrup

*milk - cow, oat , soy or a nut milk

*flour - unbleached all purpose, whole wheat, oat, gluten free or a combination

 

There are many ways to take your favorite recipe and make it a little healthier and this is one of mine.  I think the key to keeping a healthy diet sustainable is allowing the occasional treat every once in a while, especially if it is something you really love, but if you can make it a healthier version too, then that is a bonus.

 

Chocolate Brownie Cookie Bars

 

Halfway between a brownie and a cookie these bars are a delicious low carb Keto sweet treat.  A healthy way to satisfy that chocolate craving or pesky sweet tooth.

 

Chocolate Brownie Cookie Bars 

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

6 eggs

3/4 cup sweetener, of your choice

2 Tbs. cream mixed with 2 Tbs. water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup sugar free chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional

 

In a large mixing bowl thoroughly mix butter and cocoa powder.  Add eggs, sweetner, cream and water, and salt, stirring to combine.  Add coconut flour, chocolate chips and nuts and stir again until well combined.  Batter will begin to thicken.  Lightly oil an 8" X 8" baking pan.  Pour batter into pan and evenly spread.  Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 to 25 minutes until center is firm and springs back at the touch.  Allow to cool and cut into four pieces.  Store leftovers in an airtight container.

 

These bars are approximately 2 grams of carbohydrates each.  Less if you omit the chocolate chips although I can't imagine why one would want to do that. 😏

 

Stuffed Mushrooms You'll Want To Make Again

 

I like to change it up every once in a while and prepare these as a main course in place of the typical piece of steak, pork or chicken.  They are super easy to make and don't cost a lot either.  Use large button or crimini mushrooms and nice big portabellas work well too.

 

Stuffed Mushrooms

1/2 lb. ground pork sausage

2 Tbs. finely diced onion

2 tsp. dried basil

1/3 cup grated parmesan

6 - 8 large button mushrooms

 

Clean mushrooms, removing stems and setting aside.  Use a spoon to remove the gills from the mushroom caps.  Place mushroom caps into a lightly oiled baking dish.  Finely dice the mushroom stems.

 

In a skillet sauté pork sausage, diced mushroom stems and onions until pork is cooked through and onions and mushrooms are soft.  Add basil, stir to thoroughly combine.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  

Once cool add parmesan and stir until meat mixture begins to thicken. 

 

With a spoon fill each of the mushroom caps making a mound of filling over each one.  

Bake at 375° for about 15 minutes until mushrooms are soft and the tops are crisp.

 

The parmesan takes the place of traditional bread crumbs keeping this recipe completely Keto friendly and low carb.  This is a very flavorful dish if you enjoy stuffed mushrooms.  Use smaller mushrooms and these make great appetizers, especially at the holidays or for parties.  You can easily double this recipe too.

 

Meal Prep #4

 

Meal prepping is a good way to prepare for the week ahead, fill our freezer with some made ahead meal (aka Keto fast food), and use up odds and ends we have sitting around in our refrigerator and freezer that we want to make sure get eaten so they don't go to waste.

 

You can do a meal prep marathon and do it all in one day, or just spend a few hours or even stretch it out over a period of a few days like I did recently.  Another great way to meal prep is to cook two meals at the same time by doubling the recipe, eat one and freeze the other.  However you choose to meal prep is up to you, but I strongly recommend doing it as a way to help maintain this lifestyle, keep you out of the fast food drive thru, plus it saves a lot of time and money too.  Who doesn't like that idea?

 

Like I said my latest meal prep extended over the course of four days.  I thawed items that had been in my freezer awhile and I wanted to make sure I used them up before freezer burn could set in.  I also had a bunch of odds and ends in the refrigerator that needed to be used up as well.  I began by thawing two thick cut pork chops.  I took the largest one and cut it into bite sized pieces and placed it into a large mixing bowl with some frozen vegetables I needed to use up and half of a thinly sliced carrot.  I added 2 Tbs. of minced garlic, drizzled a little olive oil and some soy sauce over everything and stirred it until all of the meat and veggies were coated.  I spread it out in a baking dish and roasted it in a 375° oven for 20 minutes, stirred it and continued baking for another 20 minutes.  I divided into four portions, placed each portion in containers and into the freezer.  The other pork chop had a big bone in the middle so I pan fried it and that was my dinner that day along with a salad.

 

Next up was to use up two leftover hot Italian sausages to make a pizza bake.  I sliced the sausages, added a can of Italian style diced tomatoes, some chopped onion and a chopped green bell pepper.  I simmered that on the stove then sliced up a handful of black olives and some mushrooms.  I added that to the pot along with a package of pepperoni slices I cut in half.  Once everything was heated through I divided the mixture into four portions.  After placing each portion into a container I let them cool and topped each one with grated mozzarella, then into the freezer.

 

My next meal to make was to take a pound of ground turkey, brown it with some diced onion, add a small can of red enchilada sauce and simmer it for about 15 minutes.  I stirred in a cup and a half of riced cauliflower, divided the mixture into four portions and placed in containers.  Once cooled I topped each one with grated cheddar cheese and a little chopped onion and placed in the freezer.  When I eat these I plan to top them with a good dollop of sour cream.

 

The last meal I prepared was a lasagna bake.  I browned half a pound of pork sausage with some diced onion, added a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce, 2 Tbs. minced garlic, 2 tsp. dried basil, 1 tsp. dried oregano and let that simmer.  I stirred in one and a half cups of riced cauliflower then divided the mixture into four portions and let it cool.  In containers I did a layer of the sauce, a layer of cottage cheese and a layer of mozzarella, then repeated again.  These also ended up in my freezer.

 

Now I have several healthy, quick and easy meals ready to heat up and eat on a busy day or if I'm just feeling a bit lazy.  I used up a lot of things I had in my freezer and refrigerator that needed to be used up in the process too.  I always feel good after a meal prepping session knowing I have these healthy and delicious meals waiting for me.

 

Chopped Salads

 

Chopped salad kits are convenient and delicious, however they are expensive and surprisingly most of them are not the healthiest.  They can be high in carbohydrates due to the amount of sugar in the dressings as well as some of the toppings.  By the time I filter out all of the sugar laden goodies there isn't much left so I decided it is better for me to just make my own salads.

 

My base for these salads is pretty much the same as the pre-packaged ones.  I chop up green cabbage, purple cabbage, kale and add some grated carrot.  Then I just add my own toppings like black and green olives, nuts and seeds, red or green bell pepper, sliced green onions, diced avocado and then my own dressing.  Cooked chicken, sliced steak or some bacon is also nice for a hardier meal.

 

Chopped salads are easy to make and not very expensive either.  I like to make up a large bowl of the cabbage, kale and carrot to keep in the refrigerator as it holds up quite well and doesn't easily wilt.  I serve it up and add my dressing and toppings at that time to keep it lasting even longer rather than mixing everything together.  What is your favorite chopped salad?

 

 

Broccoli Cheddar Egg Casserole

 

This is one of my favorites when it comes to a breakfast casserole.  Not only is it absolutely delicious but it goes together and bakes up super easy.

 

Broccoli Cheddar Egg Casserole

 

12 eggs

2 cups chopped broccoli

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 pound pork breakfast sausage, browned & drained

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

2 Tbs. heavy cream

 

In a large bowl whisk the eggs together until well blended.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to thoroughly combine.  Pour mixture into a greased 9" X 13" baking pan.  Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes until top is lightly browned and center is set.  Serves 8.

 

For a meat less version you can omit the sausage and add some salt and it is every bit as delicious.  You can also top it with some extra cheese, a dollop of sour cream or drizzle your favorite hot sauce over the top.  I like a little chipotle Tabasco myself.

Chicken Egg Roll In A Bowl

 

I make traditional Egg Roll In A Bowl quite often.  This time I decided to change it up a bit with some different ingredients.

 

Chicken Egg Roll In A Bowl

 

1 large chicken breast, thinly sliced

5 sliced mushrooms

5 sliced green onions

1 pkg. coleslaw mix

3 eggs, beaten

1 Tbs. minced garlic

2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. olive oil

Sesame oil (optional)

Sriracha sauce (optional)

 

In a wok or large skillet heat oil over medium heat, sauté sliced chicken until cooked through, add mushrooms, green onions and garlic.  Continue cooking until mushrooms are tender.  Add coleslaw mix and soy sauce.  Stir until cabbage is soft.  Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in eggs.  Cook eggs stirring until medium set.  Stir eggs and mixture together to combine until completely cooked.  Remove from heat.  Garnish with sesame oil and sriracha sauce, if desired.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

 

This is a delicious variation on the low carb original.  I'm not sure what the exact macros are in this one, but I'm sure it is fairly low.

  

Because chicken breast is so lean you can use thighs instead if you prefer.  The eggs add more fat and great nutrients and garnishing with sesame oil adds some good fat to this too.

Best Keto Waffles Ever!

I am not kidding either.  I love waffles, always have, so when I came across a recipe and then tweaked it to perfection, oh my goodness gracious!  I knew because of this recipe alone Keto was definitely sustainable for me.

Keto Waffles

1/4 c. melted butter

2 Tbs. softened cream cheese

4 eggs

1 packet stevia (optional)

1/4 c. coconut flour

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. frozen blueberries (optional)

Whipped cream (optional)

In a medium bowl mix butter and cream cheese together.  Add eggs, stevia and vanilla and mix.  Add coconut flour and combine well.  Let sit to thicken a few minutes.

Don't mind the stained waffle iron.  It works amazingly well.

Pour batter into a heated and prepared waffle iron and cook.  Makes four waffles.

With some Smuckers sugar free pancake syrup & butter

Approximately = 1g carbs, 13g fat, 5g protein per serving.  Makes 4 servings.

These taste amazing.  I like them made plain with a nice fried egg on top.  You could add some crumbled bacon to the batter for a nice savory option.  Berries are always nice if you are wanting something a little sweeter, either in the batter or just sliced on top.

Raspberry sauce or "syrup"

I like to heat up some raspberries and mash them with a little bit of water and add a packet of sweetener to make a kind of raspberry syrup too.  No matter how you enjoy your waffles, these are pretty fantastic.  If you love waffles I urge you to give them a try.

Keto "Crack" Pot Chicken

In no way did I make this recipe up.  I've seen it made by loads of people over the last little while I've been on Keto and finally decided to give it a try.  Holy cow! (Or chicken as the case may be) This is fantastic!  And with only 3 ingredients it couldn't get any easier or more affordable.

You simply take 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or 6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs and place them in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Then you pour a can of fire roasted salsa tomatoes over that.  You could use your favorite salsa too.  I happen to absolutely love the fire roasted salsa tomatoes they sell in the diced tomato section of the grocery store.

Lastly, add an 8 oz block of cream cheese on top.  Place the lid on and set the slow cooker to high for 4 hours.  When you come back just shred the chicken with a couple of forks and stir it all together.  One word.  Yum!  I see why it is call "Crack" Pot Chicken, you just want to keep eating it.

Approximately = 4g carbs, 10g fat, 21g protein per serving.  Makes 8 servings.